Trinidad - small town with a colonial charm
If you’re not much in to reading, have a look at the video we made showing off Trinidad.
Trinidad is a small colonial town a bit south of Havana. It’s a fairly small town, leaving you wondering how it’s not a village, considering it’s size. There’s a lot of historical elements in it, there’s also a revolutionary background to it. The whole place is basically an open air museum of Spanish Colonial Architecture. There’s not much to do there, so we recommend reserving a maximum of 3 days to see the majority of things Trinidad has to offer.
Getting there
We arrive in Trinidad, using the bus which had an AC making the trip bearable. It took us 7-8 hours to get there, not that it was that far, but rather the roads dont allow driving any faster than 60 Kmph.
Obtaining a bus ticket and actually getting on the bus is an adventure in it self. They had more security for getting on the bus then getting on the plane. They check your tickets, your passport, your luggage, then on the bus double checking your ticket, and still waiting for about 40 minutes before it departs the station.
Some passengers that came onboard after Havana had to stand for the entire trip, some complained that they were sold bad tickets, so make sure to go to the bus station it self if you want to travel, dont use other sources.
Ancon beach
We decide to visit Ancon beach. To get there you will need to take a taxi, and your best bet is to haggle. We managed to get a ride for 8 CUC in each direction. We agreed to have the driver meet us for the ride back at a certain time, and he was there as agreed.
The beach looks great on the outside. White sands, palm and other trees providing natural shade, but the water was murky and had algy, so it’s not a great swimming experience. Aside from that beach is nice, with lots of restaurants and bars you can hide in, have a drink and relax.
I loved that unlike the beach in Havana, it has very little people in it, making it feel like you’re in a secluded beach.
Horseback riding and waterfall tour
When in Trinindad one cannot leave without taking the horseback riding waterfall tour. In fact if you go out at night, all the locals will try to sell you that tour. Do your best and haggle.
After getting on the horses, and getting a brief riding lesson, we were on our way. We rode almost all day. Our youngest was on the same horse with the guide. Once you’re done riding, you reach a waterfall, where you can cool off from the tremendous heat. The nature there is mesmerizing, and if the water was a bit warmer, we would have stayed there till night fall. The whole area is very slippery, so do wear appropriate footwear, and be very careful around the natural pools. On our way back we had dinner in the local Paradise ranch. The food was ok, but the service left something to be desired for. Price was a bit on the high side.
The whole experience is magical, but the next day every muscle in your body will hurt.
Trinidad – The colonial museum
During the day you can walk around town, which has been ruled as an open air colonial museum. One house is cuter than the other, and the locals, riding their horses and carriages make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time.
Visit the church that you can see from everywhere as it’s bell tower is the only tall standing structure in town. You’ll find live musicians performing for donations.
Visit the local art stores and galleries for some great Cuban paintings or statues or souvenirs.
Stop by a local restaurant, which will magically have some live guitar players pop up and play great music.
The overall theme in this tiny town is to take it slow. No rush to go anywhere, just take your time.
Trinidad Nightlife
We check out the nightlife in the middle of Trinidad. There’s restaurants with live music, salsa dancing, cheap mojitos, it’s literally packed with people. Tourists from all over the world ascend on this one tiny square in the city center. Some of them are trying desperately to get on the internet, and as more and more people try, the less succeed.
The local bars / restaurants offer live music and dancing, providing you pay an entrance fee to get in. Sees that lots of people did not agree with this payment procedure, so they were just sitting around the local church.
This is also where you can find the cheapest mojitos in town for about 1.5 CUC. The cheap mojitos get us plastered, but we have a great time. It’s a great place to share your experiences with other foreigners, mingle, talk, enjoy.
Additional things to do
Other things that are left to do in Trinidad is to take the Valle de los Ingenios tour, where you go to see how sugar cane is made.
From what we saw, it seemed very bare with little shade, and considering we were in the hottest period in Cuba, we decided not to go. Plus we were still sore from the horseback riding the day before.
Where to stay
We had booked an AirBnB place, but it wasnt very good. The AC’s could barely keep up, the host would be in the house all the time, electric wiring a bit on the risky side, hot water turns in to Russian rulette. But after looking at more than a few houses in Trinidad, it seems most of them are that way, making staying in Trinidad feel more like an outdoor camping experience, rather then accommodation. That’s the price you pay when you to sleep in a historical monument.
There’s a couple of decent looking hotels in the center of town, and a few decent rental houses, but how you find them on the internet is yet to be determined.
Overall verdict
Trinidad is a small place with a few attractions that are fun to see and experience. Try to find a decent accommodation if you can, walk around the colonial center, and visit the center at night when everyone crowds in to cool off with cheap mojitos.